Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
tk3765
Contributor - Level 3

This is more for a Verizon rep to answer since no one can seem to get a fully straight answer.  VW rep, please don't spout the usual info sheet rhetoric; people need true and correct answers; not vague possibilities.

Verizon is offering a credit, of sorts, on the Note 8 to be applied over the course of the monthly payments, 24 months to be exact, but the full credit is only applied if those 24 payments are made; the rest of the credits are null and void if the phone is paid off early.  Caveat to using the trade in of the phone used after the Note 7 recall however, must be paid in full before the Note 8 can be obtained.

Samsung, however, is offering an immediate credit to all verified Note 7 owners.  If upon trade in the phone was fully paid, the credit would reduce the cost of the Note 8.  If a balance is still due on the trade-in phone, the customer would be responsible for either paying off the balance in full to the vendor, or, continuing with the monthly payments until the trade-in phone has been paid off. 

Now, if my math is correct, and estimating the Note 7 owners have about $350 - $500 balance due, this would mean a higher monthly payment, between Verizon and Samsung, of $20-25/month extra...a total of about $53-$58/ month for the time it takes to pay off the Note 7 replacement taken during the recall period.

So, knowing all that, just how does this affect the Verizon billing?  What are the exact charges a person would expect if they took a phone purchased directly through Samsung and added it to their Verizon plan?

Does the traded in phone, if traded in to Samsung with a remaining balance, have to remain as an active line, with all related charges in place, until paid off? (meaning the Note 8 and the Note 7 replacement would both be charged as active lines).

Verizon corporate needs to put out a memo of some sort on the site to address these questions as well instead of sending out snippets of half truth answers.  I know form speaking with the reps during the recall period that they readily admitted their info sheets were rarely up to date with the latest changes and they don't get updates throughout their shifts; they only know what they are given at the start of the shift.

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
Kidcrosby
Enthusiast - Level 1

went to buy a new note 8 at sams club.  Sale wouldn't go through and flag came up sayimg send customer to coporate verizon.  They didnt know why. I went to corporate verizon and they said it looks like verizon was starting a new promotion starting the next day (today the 20th) where they would pay off note 7 replacent phones and allow upgrade to note 8.  Deal applies at all official verizon stores like Costco and i think best buy too so their promotions should be honored too.  Sams club isn't an authorized verizon store but rather a 3rd party middle man so it doesn't apply there.

Re: Straight Talk:  Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
tk3765
Contributor - Level 3

Thanks for the update.  The promotion isn't showing online as yet so will see if and when it kicks in.  The original promotion offered was good through 24 September so it may not kick in until the current promotion ends.  I will take a guess and say the extra items promotion, the SD card or Gear camera, won't be a part of the new promotion but will see Smiley Happy.

Re: Straight Talk:  Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

TK3765, the release of this new phone has absolutely created many questions. Let's see if we can clear up those details. If you were to use the Samsung promotion to get this new phone, you would still have the remaining device payment balance on your account. Should you wish to complete this trade in and activate the new phone on the current line, as you cannot have two device payment plans on a single line, you would need to either purchase the new phone outright or complete the payoff of that previous device. If you go the route of adding a new line, you would see the one time activation fee for that line as well as the monthly device payment for both lines, plan cost and line access costs for both lines. Should you cancel that original line prior to the payoff of the device payment plan, you would be billed the balance on the following statement in one lump sum. I hope this provides all of the details that you were looking for.

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
tk3765
Contributor - Level 3

Hi All...I may have gotten a little too in-depth when I posted this in the overall Android forum so I will repost here slightly edited.

It took some driving and some calling and talking to many people but I finally got the process for former Note 7 owners to upgrade to the Note 8 without having to pay off the replacement phone.  The upgrade cannot be done directly in the Corporate stores.

Users need to contact customer service at 800-922-0204 and specifically indicate the Note 7 to Note 8 Escalation promotion.  An alert came up on my account indicating I was a previous Note 7 owner so the flags are in the system.  Understand as well that this is a brand new promotion and word still hasn't quite gotten out to all of the stores or even the customer service reps so for now, be patient and just talk things through Smiley Happy.

Customer service will contact the department handling this particular promotion who will then work their background magic to credit the balance of the remaining payments on the replacement phone.  Once the credit goes through, the customer service department will then process the Note 8 order.  In my case, they need to call me back as they were still searching for the phone number for the department they needed to notify .

All replacement phones are eligible for the promotion..it is based on whether or not the customer was a Note 7 owner and not which phones were taken instead.  I admit I forgot to ask about the promotion still in place, the $480 credit over the 24 months of payments.  I'll add that to my mental outstanding questions list for when I get the call back.

Just to give everyone an idea of the different answers over the course of my multiple conversations..:).  I heard the standard "pay it off before trade-in."  Another option indicated was to use the Samsung promotion, buy the phone at Samsung for the $425 off and Verizon would make a bill credit, but that the replacement phone on the Verizon plan still to be paid off using the regular monthly payments in place and that Verizon wouldn't charge the second line fees.  Yet another option indicated that the new promotion was only for 44% off the Note 8 and the phone traded in had to be paid off first.

Again, the  promotion is legitimate but the firm process is still being ironed out so my actual "successful" call didn't get through the entire process.  I'll update here as things progress.

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
tk3765
Contributor - Level 3

Day 2 of the process Smiley Happy

I called to request status as I still hadn't heard back.  Updated info:

Customer service will contact the "Samsung Loyalty Exception Offer" department who will immediately process the credit.  On the next bill, or by the bill after anyway depending upon bill closing date, the customer will see a charge for the rest of the cost of the phone but will also see the same amount in bill credit. 

However, the credit is immediately applied and the customer now has the option to process the new upgrade online or in-store (whether only corporate or also through retailers they didn't indicate).  I just looked at my account, only 10 minutes or so after the end of the call, and I am now upgrade eligible with the trade-in program.

Now, two things.  The current promotion of 50% ($480 off over the 24 payments) is not applicable with this program.  As we all said previously, Verizon is essentially back applying that 50% credit to the current amount to pay off the Note 7 replacement phone.  What I did see was that using the regular trade-in program, the phone (in my case the S7 Edge), IS eligible for $190 trade-in credit so that is a small reduction anyway.

Going online real quick and starting the process, it looks like as long as the order for the Note 8 is placed prior to 14 October customers can still take advantage of the free gifts being offered.

As with any upgrade the customer has to pay the taxes for the phone up front but this wasn't a surprise. Included in the overall fees are the taxes, upgrade fee and first payment on the phone.

FInally, from what I understood from what the rep asked me but I didn't confirm, the customer also is not locked in to buy the Note 8 if they take advantage of this promotion.  Since the promotion pays off the remaining payments, it is like the customer did it themselves.

Hope this helps Smiley Happy

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
tk3765
Contributor - Level 3

Secondary update...

I ordered online and chose in-store pickup.  I tried to do the trade-in online but received a "device cannot be verified; device is on a loan payment" error.

I am guessing, and hoping, the trade-in will be allowed once things cycle through.  According to the order screen, I would receive an e-mail in 5 days offering the trade-in so will see.

At this point, I have to say that any type of trade-in credit is NOT guaranteed.

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

tk3765,

 

We want you to be able to take advantage of any available trade-in promotion. The error you received regarding the device being on loan payment appears if your full remaining balance for the device has yet to be paid. If you've already paid your device off in full, please contact the trade-in team directly at 800-416-8894 for assistance in processing your trade or the store can assist with processing the trade in as well.

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
lynne_vzw
Verizon Employee

Being able to get trade-in credit is understandably important, tk3765. Let's take a closer look at what happened. Please be on the lookout for a Private Message so we can securely review everything that took place.

LynnD_VZW Follow us on Twitter @VZWSupport If my response answered your question please click the �Correct Answer� button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: Straight Talk: Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for Previous Note 7 Owners
tk3765
Contributor - Level 3

I took advantage of the Note 7 to Note 8 Escalation program, do Verizon actually credited the balance of the payments so I could upgrade.  So, the phone has been technically paid off but I am guessing the flag indicating a loan payment issue will need to clear. 

There wasn't any indication by the store associate or customer service that a trade-in would be denied due to taking advantage of the promotion, so it may just need to process through the system.

If I don't see it clear in the next few days I'll call in.   .  I am getting messages about credits and account changes so the system is processing things.

I appreciate the follow-up.

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